Individuals committed to excellence

By Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Sloan

DDEAMC Troop Command

To the right is before and to the left is after a high pressure hose was used by two Soldiers to clean the wall near their barracks.
Courtesy photo Leaders, just as many of you have, I walked by this wall every day for the last year never really noticing there was a problem. Sgt. Jeffrey Keisacker and Staff Sgt. Robert Llewelyn not only noticed it but refused to look at it any longer.

This is a small contribution to our overall mission but it does demonstrate the power of the individual to make a difference. An excellent organization is excellent in all that they do.

Whenever I watch some- one go about their business, I ask myself, “are they committed to excellence?” You can tell if an organization is committed to excellence by the way it is maintained. Is the environment clean and orderly? Look through an organization and you’ll find all the clues you need to measure the height of its standards. Observe, and then ask yourself, “is this an organization with pride? Is this an organization of excellence? Am I committed to excellence?”

Building pride in an organization is integral to its success. It has been my experience that you cannot build pride and esprit de corps if you allow anybody to be part of your organization without requiring them to make sacrifices, big and small. Think of an Army Ranger. Every Ranger I ever came in contact with conducted himself as if he knew beyond a shadow of doubt that he was a member of an elite organization. The rangers demand excellence and its members are committed to meeting that demand.

This sense of being an exclusive or elite organization starts at home with each individual. Do you take pride in your appearance? Do you leave no doubt that you are part of an organization committed to maintaining a high level of personal and professional appearance? When you arrive to work do you feel a sense of pride because of, who you are, where you work and what you do? How are you making the organization stronger? Do you demand high standards of performance from your Soldiers? Do you maintain that same high standard of performance? Are you committed to excellence?